Sounds crazy, but maybe it’s not. Is Eli Manning going through the “tired arm syndrome”? If he is, it could answer a lot of questions about why his performance has dipped over the past few weeks.

Even the best baseball pitchers get put on pitch counts. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Eli has played more games over the past nine years than any other QB in the NFL. He never misses a game or a practice. He is also holding offsite workouts with his receivers in the offseason.

In addition, he’s coming off a 20-game season (the downside of making the Super Bowl as a wildcard) and has come firing right out of the gate again this season with an uneven schedule. The Giants also have not had their bye yet this year. So, yes, it’s a possibility.

Many analysts have been saying the Giants’ receivers are not getting the separation and that is why there have been so many passes broken up or thrown away lately. That is true, but what it also true – if you watch the tapes – is that Eli is not zipping the ball into tight windows right now. Perhaps he’s overdue for a week off (and a running game that can sustain drives).

NFL Films Executive Director Greg Cosell, who specializes in breaking down quarterback footage, appeared on ESPN Radio with Colin Cowherd this morning and reluctantly confirmed what some Giant fans have been suspecting:

This may shock a few people, but I get a sense of watching the film that his arm might be a little tired. I don’t think the ball’s been coming out quite as well, particularly on the intermediate and deeper throws…Eli has a big arm. I just think that his arm might be a little tired. He’s not throwing with the same velocity, he’s not driving the ball down the field the way he has in his career.